Pumpkins

In our culture, pumpkins are a fruit of beauty! We grow them for size, we use them for decorations, we process them, and can them to use for breads, pies, desserts, and soups. Who does not love this fruit's breads, pies, or soups! They're a staple in the crisp fall months!

Other cultures include them in their traditional dishes too! They are a delicious healthy diet habit, not just for a great dessert, but as the centerpiece of your dinner meal, as a decoration or for carving!

They are often seen in the crisp fall months and are mostly associated with the big holidays of Halloween and Thanksgiving. How can you think about Thanksgiving dinner, or even Christmas dinner, without pumpkin pie?

In addition to delicious pumpkin recipes that can be made from pumpkins, they are often used as decorations, centerpieces for your holiday meal, or carved out for Halloween decorations!

 2026 Holidays and Observances
associated with Pumpkins (Date Order)

• National Pumpkin Seed Day - October 7, 2026 (First Wednesday in October)

• National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day - October 21

• Pumpkin Day - October 26

• Pumpkin Bread Day - October 30

• Carve a Pumpkin Day - October 31

• Halloween - October 31

• Pumpkin Destruction Day - November 7, 2026 (First Saturday of November)

• Thanksgiving - November 26, 2026 (Fourth Thursday of November)

• Christmas Day - December 25

• National Pumpkin Pie Day - December 25

A holiday centerpiece that our Mom did for our Thanksgiving Dinner.

Pumpkin Facts

• Pumpkins are actually a "Fruit", and not a "Vegetable". They are in fact the world's largest fruit. They are considered a fruit, because they grow on a vine and contain seeds.

• They are a member of the Cucurbita family which includes squash, melons, and cucumbers.

• They are over 90% water!

• 80% of the pumpkin supply in the United States is in the month of October.

• They are associated with the fall season from Halloween to Thanksgiving.

• Pumpkin seeds are also edible and make a great snack.  You can scoop them from your pumpkins that you carve, give them a good scrubbing, and put them in the oven until slightly golden for a tasty treat. They also are great for cleansing your body of parasites!  Find out all the details to make them on our Pumpkin Recipes page!

• Pumpkins are full of beta-carotene, a carotenoid, which your body turns into Vitamin A.  They also provide fiber, Vitamin B, Iron, Protein, and Potassium, and are low in fat.

• In the United States, pumpkins were originally a Native American Indian Crop.

• Even Alaska grows pumpkins!  The only continent that does not, is Antarctica.

• The tradition of carving Jack-o'-lanterns in the United States started from the Irish Immigrants, who had previously been using turnips.

• They can grow to over 1000 pounds, when they are grown with special care.  In fact the largest pumpkin grown on record is 1,810 pounds.

• They come in varying shades of white, yellow, and orange.

• They take about 4 months to grow, until they are ready for harvesting.

• They are mainly grown to be processed.

• The pumpkin capital of the World is Morton, Illinois, where the Libby plant is located.

• A 5 pound pumpkin will give you about 4 1/2 cups of fresh pumpkin puree, and one 16 oz can of puree will give you about 2 cups of puree. Find out how to make fresh pumpkin puree on our Pumpkin Recipes page!

• One cup of cooked pumpkin is only 49 calories, so it is a low calorie treat!

• Costco pumpkin pies should be divided into 16ths, and not 8ths for proper food portioning.  Most will cut them into eighths, even though the pies are huge! An 1/8th slice of Costco pies will run you 431 calories!

• They are famous and used in fairly tales and cartoons. Cinderella had a pumpkin chariot, and most have watched "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown".

• Sadly...They can be a vandalism object during Halloween, or after with many throwing pumpkins and making a big mess! They are messy to clean up, and can be slippery when thrown, so please just don't! 

• If you want to see some fantastic pumpkin decorations, I just discovered the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens Facebook Page! They are located in Dallas, Texas, and have some amazing looking Pumpkin displays!

Tips for Using Pumpkins

How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds:

• Separate and rinse: Separate the seeds from the fibrous parts of the inner pulp. Put them in a colander and rinse them thoroughly with fresh water.

• Boil in salted water: Place the rinsed seeds in a pan and cover them with salted water, using one-quarter cup of salt to two quarts of water. Bring the mixture to a boil and let it simmer for two hours.

• Dry and season: Drain the seeds and dry them completely on paper towels. Place the seeds onto a cookie sheet and baste them with four tablespoons of melted butter. If you enjoy spicy snacks, add one teaspoon of cayenne pepper and a half teaspoon of regular black pepper.

• Roast until golden: Roast the seeds for ten to thirty minutes in the oven at 300 degrees Fahrenheit until they turn golden brown, stirring occasionally. Store them in a closed container if you plan to eat them quickly or freeze them for later.

How to Make Fresh Pumpkin Puree:

• The traditional oven method: Cut a medium-sized sugar pumpkin open and remove all the inner pulp and seeds. Slice the shell into four to eight pieces and place them onto a foil-lined cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for one to one and a half hours until the flesh is soft. Scoop the pulp away from the outer rind and blend it in a mixer or food processor until smooth. If you prefer a thicker texture, place the puree into cheesecloth to drain away any extra water.

• The quick microwave method: Thoroughly scrub the outer shell of your pumpkin clean and poke several deep slits around the top section. Wrap the entire pumpkin tightly in plastic wrap. Microwave it until it feels soft, then carefully slice it open to remove the seeds and skin. Place the remaining cooked pulp into your food processor and blend until it is completely smooth.

Healthy Substitution Hacks:

• Substitute for fats in baking: You can easily add pumpkin puree to your favorite baked goods as a direct substitute for butter or oil.

• Experiment with ratios: Nutritional recipes vary. Some bakers recommend using half as much puree as oil, others suggest an equal one-to-one swap, and some prefer doubling the puree to ensure the final product stays fluffy rather than rubbery.

Creative Dinner Menu Ideas:

• Boost your favorite comfort meals: Include fresh puree into your dinner menus by stirring one to two cups straight into hearty soups, seasonal chilies, stews, fritters, pasta sauces, or autumn lasagnas.

• Bake a trendy potluck showstopper: Fill a small sugar pumpkin with your favorite savory meat or vegetable stew recipe and bake it whole for a couple of hours until the shell is tender. Serve the hot stew right out of the pumpkin, scooping out a bit of the cooked inner flesh with each serving.

Know Your Culinary Yield:

• Track your measurements accurately: Remember that a standard five-pound pie pumpkin yields roughly four and a half cups of fresh puree, while a standard sixteen-ounce canned store alternative gives you about two cups of puree.

Additional Pumpkin Information 

Pumpkin Carving

Pumpkin Recipes See some of our favorite pumpkin recipes and get lots of tips with cooking with pumpkin. Plus...share your Pumpkin Recipes!